Various parameters related to the onset of bacterial differentiation (sporulation) were investigated. It was found that guanine nucleotide deprivation, responsible for the initiation of sporulation, caused a drastic decrease in the synthesis of rRNA and tRNA but only a small decrease in the synthesis of mRNA. Cell wall synthesis and cell wall turnover were also reduced. The latter decreased under any conditions decreasing the expansion of the cell. The decrease of GTP also caused a decrease in uracil uptake, whereas the stringent response (increase of ppGpp) to amino acid deprivation caused a decrease of purine uptake. The gene of glucose dehydrogenase, and enzyme made only in the forespore compartment, was isolated by cloning in lambda charon phage. The insertion piece also contained a promoter that allowed production of high amounts of glucose dehydrogenase in E. coli. A bypass of fructose bisphosphatase was discovered and mutants (gene symbol bfd) deficient in it were isolated. Strains can grow on gluconeogenic carbon sources if either the fdp or the bfd gene is functional.